Ink jet recording method, ink jet recording apparatus, and set of recording head and treatment liquid

Abstract

An ink jet recording method includes an ink attachment step, in which an aqueous ink composition is ejected from a recording head and attached to a recording medium, and a treatment liquid attachment step, in which a treatment liquid containing a flocculant is ejected from a recording head and attached to the recording medium. The recording head for ejecting the treatment liquid has a circulation channel in which the treatment liquid is circulated.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An ink jet recording method comprising:
 an ink attachment step including ejecting an aqueous ink composition from a recording head to attach the aqueous ink composition to a recording medium; and 
 a treatment liquid attachment step including ejecting a treatment liquid containing a flocculant from a recording head to attach the treatment liquid to the recording medium, 
 wherein the recording head for ejecting the treatment liquid has a circulation channel configured to circulate the treatment liquid; and 
 wherein the treatment liquid contains a cationic polymer as the flocculant and resin particles. 
 
     
     
       2. An ink jet recording method comprising:
 an ink attachment step including ejecting an aqueous ink composition from a recording head to attach the aqueous ink composition to a recording medium; and 
 a treatment liquid attachment step including ejecting a treatment liquid containing a flocculant and at least one type of resin particles from a recording head to attach the treatment liquid to the recording medium, 
 wherein the recording head for ejecting the treatment liquid has a circulation channel configured to circulate the treatment liquid, and 
 a glass transition temperature of the resin particles is 40.0° C. or more. 
 
     
     
       3. The ink jet recording method according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the treatment liquid contains a resin. 
 
     
     
       4. The ink jet recording method according to claim wherein
 the treatment liquid contains a resin, and the resin is a cationic polymer as the flocculant. 
 
     
     
       5. The ink jet recording method according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the resin particles are one or two or more of anionic resins and nonionic resins. 
 
     
     
       6. The ink jet recording method according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the resin particles are one or two or more of urethane resins and acrylic resins. 
 
     
     
       7. The ink jet recording method according to  claim 2 , further comprising
 a drying step including drying, using at least one drying mechanism, the treatment liquid attached to the recording medium in the treatment liquid attachment step. 
 
     
     
       8. The ink jet recording method according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the drying mechanism is one or two or more of conduction, aeration, and radiation drying mechanisms. 
 
     
     
       9. The ink jet recording method according to  claim 2 , wherein
 a surface temperature of the recording medium in the treatment liquid attachment step is 30.0° C. or more. 
 
     
     
       10. The ink jet recording method according to claim wherein
 the recording medium is a low-absorbent recording medium or non-absorbent recording medium. 
 
     
     
       11. The ink jet recording method according to  claim 2 , wherein
 a flow rate of the treatment liquid in the circulation channel is 0.1 times or more and 5.0 times or less a maximum rate of ejection of the treatment liquid from the recording head onto the recording medium. 
 
     
     
       12. The ink jet recording method according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the recording head used in the treatment liquid attachment step has a pressure chamber configured to apply pressure to the treatment liquid to eject the treatment liquid from a nozzle; and 
 after the treatment liquid passes through the pressure chamber, the circulation channel supplies the treatment liquid back to the pressure chamber. 
 
     
     
       13. The ink jet recording method according to  claim 2 , wherein
 in the treatment liquid attachment step, the circulation channel drains the treatment liquid out of the recording head and then supplies the treatment liquid back to the recording head. 
 
     
     
       14. The ink jet recording method according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the recording heads are line heads. 
 
     
     
       15. The ink jet recording method according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the recording heads are serial heads. 
 
     
     
       16. The ink jet recording method according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the treatment liquid attachment step and the ink attachment step are performed through a plurality of main scans and a plurality of sub-scans, a main scan being a movement of the recording heads in a main scanning direction, and a sub-scan being a movement of the recording medium in a sub-scanning direction as a direction crossing the main scanning direction; 
 the recording heads have:
 a first ejecting nozzle group as a line of nozzles arranged in the sub-scanning direction and configured to eject the treatment liquid; and 
 a second ejecting nozzle group as a line of nozzles arranged in the sub-scanning direction and configured to eject the aqueous ink composition; and 
 
 the first ejecting nozzle group overlaps, at least in a portion, the second ejecting nozzle group when projected in the main scanning direction. 
 
     
     
       17. An ink jet recording method comprising:
 an ink attachment step including ejecting an aqueous ink composition from a recording head to attach the aqueous ink composition to a recording medium; and 
 a treatment liquid attachment step including ejecting a treatment liquid containing a flocculant and a nitrogen-containing solvent from a recording head to attach the treatment liquid to the recording medium, 
 wherein the recording head for ejecting the treatment liquid has a circulation channel configured to circulate the treatment liquid, and 
 a percentage of the nitrogen-containing solvent to all organic solvents in the treatment liquid is 50.0% by mass or more. 
 
     
     
       18. The ink jet recording method according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the treatment liquid contains an acyclic amide as the nitrogen-containing solvent.